


What's in the Name

by SpadeQueenSumi



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, I felt like writing one, Idk i just really wanted to write about this, M/M, because you should be the change you wanna see in the world, but i still like it, fluffy fluff, in this case i wanted fluffy fluff, the execution didnt go as well as i wanted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 07:10:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12906798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpadeQueenSumi/pseuds/SpadeQueenSumi
Summary: Killua didn't come to this coffee shop to get his name purposely mispelled by the cute barista, except he did.It's alright, though, because Killua retaliates by calling him the wrong name sometimes.





	What's in the Name

**Author's Note:**

> I've been writing this since summer I'm a really slow writer lol. Hopefully you all like this! There was no beta for this either so please tell me if you see any mistakes :9

☕

Killua walked into the coffee shop and looked up from the text he’d to sent to his sister, only to hold back a sigh as he seen who was behind the counter. It wasn't as if he disliked the freckled freak that worked there—if anything, he'd guess they had somewhat of a friendship—it was just that the man had the most chipper attitude that contradicted Killua’s signature ‘suffering college student’ facade that made people leave him alone.

(Though, it wasn't as if he  _ wanted _ to be alone, but if anyone were to really  _ ask  _ him if he did he would lie.)

“Ah! Killua!” He yelled, leaning against the counter as Killua walked over. “Hey! I didn't think you were coming today; you don't have class.”

“I have a group project so I was headed to the library. Figured I'd get something or risk killing my classmates.” He sampled. “Taking extra hours or something?”

“Coworker canceled. Said there was a stray dog around his house that got sick so he’s taking it to the vet.” He said, leaning away from the table and turning to the coffee machine. “The morning usual?” Killua nodded, but it wasn't like he needed to anyways.

Killua wasn't sure when he and the barista had gotten so close that they'd memorized each other schedule, or how they'd always ended up talking about each other's personal life while he made Killua’s medium coffee with six sugars, but Killua figures it was because he'd been going to the small, almost always empty coffee shop for the better part of half a year, so them getting familiar with one another was a bit inevitable. Killua shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking about this like that, like he was forced to be friends with the sun kissed man, just because it was the closest coffee shop on campus that was close enough that he could get his morning, last morning, noon, slightly past noon and nightly coffee—all of which had most of the employees actually  _ accusing  _ Killua of caffeine addiction—without being late to class.

He was glad to be friends with him.

“Here ya’ go!” Killua looked at the cup of coffee skeptically, seeing a tanned hand holding it, purposefully covering the name written on it, before slowly looking up the arm connected to it. The innocent smiled that met his gaze has never seemed as mischievous as it did right now. “A medium coffee, six sugars. Just like you like it, Killua.” Killua narrowed his eyes as he wrapped his hand around the cup, observing the contrast between their skin as the tips of his fingers touched the other's, slowly sliding the cup towards him and bringing it to his face to see—

Oh right, of course.

“You know,” Killua started with a smirk dancing on his lips, peeking around the cup at the other's giddy smirk. “For someone who likes saying my name  _ so _ much, you always seem to spell it wrong,  _ Ginger.” _

He whined. “ _ Killua,  _ that one doesn't even have an ‘O’ in it!”

“Yet my name seems to have two of them in it?!”

“It was  _ clever _ .”

“I'm surprised you can even use the word in a sentence, much less assume that ‘Ki- _ oo- _ a’ is clever, Gon.” Killua rolled his eyes as Gon started to laugh at his own joke. If he was tortured to admit it,  _ sure _ , it was a bit clever, but Killua wouldn't give Gon that satisfaction. Killua swirled his drink a little before taking a quick sip, letting the strong sweet taste wash over his tongue before leaving a somewhat bitter aftertaste, just like he liked it. “Whatever, I guess it's not worst than Kil-Kil, so I give you pointers for that.”

“Kil-Kil was pretty cute though. I kinda wish you’d let it stick. It suits you.” Killua felt himself blush, hoping that the lid of his cup was wide enough to hide the view from Gon. Cute suits him, he says.

“Geez, can't you go a day without saying something embarrassing?”

“Hey, I only say what’s true.”

“No, you only say what you’re thinking, and those are two entirely different things.” Gon smiled, leaning forward as he watched Killua sip at his coffee with satisfaction before looking down at his phone as it vibrated a few times in his pocket. “Looks like Killua is popular.”

Killua scoffed playfully, unlocking his phone. “As if—aw crap.” Gon’s eyes widened at Killua’s panicked tone.

“What?”

“I'm late! Palm’s gonna kick my ass once I get to the library!” Killua reached into his pocket, getting out a five and handing it to Gon.

“Palm—?”

“Yeah, gotta go! I'll probably see you later! See ya, Gon!” Killua turned and quickly walked out the shop, not even hearing Gon's stuttered goodbye. Not that Palm was really going to kill him really, but he really didn't want to get kicked out of the library because Palm decided to chew him out.

☕

Killua walked into the coffee shop exactly at noon a few days later, bearing a grimace that most people would find overbearingly threatening, but Gon smiled at it brightly. Killua felt his eye twitch at the look, but felt his mood brighten slightly.

“Wow, Gangly, you're still here?”

“Com’on, Killua, that one's not even a name.” Killua smirked as he whined, turning around to start Killua's drink. “Oh, by the way, I didn't know you knew Palm.” Killua leaned on the counter, face resting in his palm as he watched the muscles on Gon's back moved and felt the sudden urge to touch them. And also go to the gym, coincidentally. (Killua wasn't unfit, but Gon was bulky—like  _ bulky _ bulky— and Killua felt a bit smaller in comparison.)  

“Yeah, we have a few classes together. She's a bit much sometimes but I know she means well. You know her?” Gon nodded, turning to Killua with a smile.

“We're really close friends.” Killua raised an eyebrow.

“How close? You seem like the type of person who says everyone is a ‘really close’ friends.” Gon looked over his shoulder, tongue out in an almost playful manner.

“We went on a date once.”

“Oh.” Killua tried not to mourn the fact that his coffee shop crush might actually be as unattainable as he originally thought. He also tried to remember if Palm had ever gashed about Gon anywhere in the past. He wonder if she ever wondered or cared to find out if her partners were only attracted to women or not.  She has for all the crushes she's has—all  _ two _ of them, apparently—so he would have heard something about Gon beforehand, right? 

He couldn't think of anything, so he guessed not.

Gon slid Killua his cup, hand over his writing as per usual, Killua pursed his lips before taking it. “I'm really proud of this one.” they exchanged the money and coffee slowly.

Killua groaned. “Seriously? K’Lua? What?” They both laughed. “You're such a nerd.” Gon laughed as Killua sipped at the coffee. “How do you keep coming up with these ridiculous names?”

Gon pouted. “It's really nice coming up with nicknames for you, Killua.”

“Nicknames that always flop, idiot.” Killua sighed. “Not to mention all these ‘nicknames’ you're giving me are one time things.”

“As clever as my nicknames are—” Killua scoffed but otherwise let him finish. “—none of them ever seem to really fit you. Also I don't really see myself ever really using them for you.”

“Maybe give me a nickname you won't mind calling then?” Gon raised his eyebrows, looking as if he was actually taking what Killua said into consideration. “Or you could, y’know, start spelling my name right?”

“But where’s the fun in that?”

“If you didn't make my coffee the way I liked it, I'd report you.”

“Well maybe I should make it wrong next time so I know what it feels like to be reported? Make it too sweet, maybe.”

“Heh, as if that'd be punishment.” Gon laughed, not at all bothered by the threat of getting reported. Maybe it was because he knew Killua wouldn't do that? Then again, did Gon really know that? Was six months enough to know how petty a person could be? Was Killua even that petty? He didn't know. “You're strange sometimes.”

“And Killua says the darndest things.” Killua huffed out a laugh.

“Heh, ‘darndest’? Who knew I befriended an old man.”

“Heh, who knew.”

☕

The door to the coffee shop all but slammed open, shocking the two standing behind the counter.

“No, Ikalgo! I'm telling you if you add too much brown to it, it'll turn black. There's no way around it!” Killua yelled at the shorter man walking in behind him.

“Look, all I'm saying is that if I dilute it with enough water I can avoid that!”

“And I'm telling you you're wrong!” Killua stuck his tongue out at Ikalgo, who was basically aching to argue his point, but couldn't come up with the words to convince his smart,  _ pigheaded _ friend. “Do you want me to order for you?”

“No way! You always get me the wrong stuff on purpose!”

“I get you good stuff?!”

“You get sugary stuff—!”

“Sugary stuff is good!”

The two standing at the counter, a tall man wearing shades whose nametag read Leorio and a shorter blond named Kurapika, looked at each other before making themselves busy—Kurapika with another customer and Leorio with something under the counter, only slightly messing with the register in front of him. Killua had met them both briefly when he'd first began coming and was really familiar with them.

“Yo, old man, haven't seen you in a while.” Killua spoke, leaning against the counter with a smile on his face. Ikalgo looked a little shocked at Killua's declarations—although, it wasn't  _ unlike  _ Killua to do something like that. The comment caused Leorio to glare at him, but it did cause the sides of Kurapika’s lips to twitch a little.

“You're lucky I'm busy right now, so I won't even grace you with a response.” He grumbled as he headed to the back.

“Aren't you at work? What else could you be busy with besides work?”

“I'm on break!” Kurapika finally let themselves giggle as their current customer walked away, knowing that Leorio was  _ not  _ on break and he was hours away from being on break. Killua slumped against the counter.

“I can feel all my energy leaving my body. Kurapika please tell me you're not going on break too.” He moaned.

“I'm not going on break.” Killua perked up. “Though if I take your order, your favorite barista will probably pout at me.”

“Gon's working today?”

“He's on break right now.” They answered. “Though he should be getting back any minute now."

Killua looked at his clock, trying to calculate just how long Gon would be working. “What, hasn't he been here all day yesterday? Does this kid even go to this school? How does he have time for class at all?” Kurapika laughed, leaning against the register, making sure not the put too much weight on it or press any of the keys.

“He does go to this school, but his aunt owns this place so he's always here.” They answered. For once in their life, Kurapika resisted the urge to tell the truth, not that it was really hard. Leorio and they had found some entertainment in the small coffee shop—because they all agreed that one time Kurapika got into a dispute with a group of  _ delinquents _ should not be seen as entertainment but a form of a lack of  _ self preservation— _ so there was no way Kurapika should feel bad for a little white lie.

“Killua, you have a favorite barista?” It was then that Ikalgo realized Killua was only half listening to Kurapika's comment because he lit up like the north star.

“Yep.” Leorio answered over Killua's babbling, walking next to Kurapika. “Killua always stops to talk to him _whenever_ he has the time. And since the kid drinks coffee like it's _water,_ he seems to always have the time.”

“I am not that unhealthy!” Killua yelled, face growing pink as he all but slammed his hands on the glass. Ikalgo couldn't help but snicker at his best friend's reaction. Killua always analyzed whatever question anyone asked him, yet he always only ever answered a portion of it.

“You know, Killua,” Ikalgo started, placing a hand on Killua's lower back—basically the only thing he could actually  _ reach  _ considering his short status. “Maybe I should let you order for me. That way you can talk to your  _ favorite barista.” _

“Why you—!”

“Guys! I'm back!” The sound of the door opening and Gon’s semi loud yelled shocked Killua so much that he almost bit his tongue. He turned, eyes widened a bit and cheeks pinkish. “Ah, Killua—and, um?”

“Oh, I'm Ikalgo.” he answered, raising the hand resting on Killua to wave at Gon, feeling like the only one to notice Gon's eyes trailing down to his contact with Killua. Whatever emotion Gon felt about the touching was gone in a second when Gon smiled brightly at him, so Ikalgo felt no need to mention it.

“I'm Gon! Did Kurapika take your order yet?” He asked, moving towards the flip up table board to get behind the counter, grabbing the apron Leorio handed to him.

“I was busy.”

“You  _ lie. _ ” Killua remarked, glaring at Kurapika as they winked at him. “They refused to take my order for—nonsense!”

“Well that's doesn't sound like Kurapika at all.” Gon smiled at the blond as they pulled their hair back into a ponytail, not at all missing Leorio’s grumble at being excluded. “Or Leorio, of course, since he's such a hard worker.”

“He called off yesterday to watch a soap opera?”

“Damn, Kurapika, there was no need to call him out like that.” Killua laughed, smirking as Ikalgo tried to cover his laughter. Kurapika coughed into their hand as Gon placed a hand on Leorio's shoulder.

“I take up extra hours to help out some friends and  _ I’m  _ being attacked? Some friendships.”

“You’re hardly ever here.” Killua commented.

“You people act like being a med student is a walk in the park!”

“Now, now, Killua, let's give poor Leorio a break here, okay?” Kurapika said, placing a hand on Leorio's shoulder as he scowled. Killua shrugged his shoulders but not before sending Leorio a small smile, silently saying ‘no offense’. “Gon, aren't you going to take their orders?”

“Oh, right,” Killua turned to Gon. “I'm dying, need coffee, and um, did I complain about anything else when I came in, Ikalgo?”

“You complained about the humidity.”

“Oh, yeah. And I'm hot. Ginger fix this.”

“How modest.” Killua decided to ignore is friend’s comment as he ordered. It wasn't long until Gon made their orders and they moved to one of the tables, hoping to relax in the air conditioned sitting area the cafe offered. It wasn't until Killua and Ikalgo were seated, which didn't take very long considering, that Killua took his hands from the cup and read the name Gon wrote—specific orders from the mastermind himself—only to almost drop it immediately after reading the name written on it.

_ Hot Stuff _

Killua was so sure that Gon was messing with him now. 

 

☕

The next time Killua went to the coffee shop, it was almost empty. It wasn't like it was midterms, where almost every student was trying to get their hands on a cup of coffee to stay awake, but Killua couldn't go a night without his eleven pm caramel latte.

Also, he had other business to take care of.

(Business he'd been putting off for about a week, but no one needed to know that.)

Killua took a deep breath before walking into the shop, walking towards the exhausted Gon, who was trying to look like he had something to do, and the equally exhausted Kurapika, who wasn't even trying hard to look busy. Gon immediately brightened when Killua placed his hands on the counter, leaning lightly against it.

“Killua—”

“Alright, what's your game?”

Gon blinked at him, smile decreasing just a bit as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I'm sorry?”

“The ‘nicknames’ you've been giving me the past week? They're suspicious.”

“Are… are  _ pet names  _ that suspicious to you?”

“Yes. Absolutely.” Killua glared at him. The ‘Hot Stuff’ name hasn't been the only one different from the variations of his name that he usually gets. Recently, Gon had taken up more… flirtatious names for Killua and Killua refuse to believe this was anything more than Gon’s usually playful personally.

Or at least, he did up until Palm mentioned that Gon’s playfulness probably had more to do with  _ Killua _ than Gon’s personality. He’d told her he didn't trust her love sickened eyesight, but the truth of the matter is Palm was a good friend of his, so he trusted her word a hell of a lot more than he let on.

One of the ends of Gon’s lips went up in an almost smile before he leaned over the counter with his face in his hand. Killua would probably write it off as the lighting, Gon's tiredness or basically anything else, but Gon's cheeks were a little flushed. “You know, Killua, you're really cute when you think I'm up to something.”

Killua felt the color come to his cheeks. “I-I don't want to hear that from you right now!” Out of the corner of his eye he seen Kurapika mouthed a ‘Right now?’ to themselves before cover their mouth. When Killua turned to glare at them, they tried looking busy.

“Okay, Killua,” Gon was still smiling when Killua turned to look at him. “I'm gonna be straight with you.”

“Not likely.” Gon whined Kurapika’s name weakly, making them shrug with a small chuckle to their lips. “Alright, alright. I'll be in the back if you need me.” Gon waited until Kurapika was in the back before turning to Killua again.

“Would you like to order?”

“Gon—” the soft, unbashful look on Gon's face stopped Killua before he could even get his complaint out of his lips. Killua let out a small heave, reaching in his pocket for his money. “A medium caramel latte.” Gon nodded.

“Your usual.” Gon turned his back to start the drink and Killua was about to call him out for stalling, but Gon started. “You know, Killua, when you first came in, I was really mesmerized by you.” Gon peaked over his shoulder to see Killua jaw drop slightly, an almost delicate blush gracing his lips. Gon smiled slightly before focusing on his task.

“Gon, I…”

“You were really disheveled when you came in, remember? It was a little bit after midterms and you came in, wearing nothing but sweatpants, an oversized sweater and flip flops. But you walked in like you owned the place. You looked like a college student but you walked around like a CEO!” Gon giggled, turning around with a marker and smiling at Killua. “And then I heard your name, and I couldn't forget you. Think of my surprise when you started being a regular here.”

Killua watched as Gon started writing on the cup. “Gon, what does this have to do with anything?” Killua glared when Gon raised an eyebrow, basically saying ‘aren't you the smart one here?’. “I don't like that look on your face.”

“A few weeks ago you told me to call you things I wouldn't mind calling you, right?”

“Well, either that or my name.” Gon rolled his eyes.

“Killua, work with me here!”

“I am! That  _ was _ what I said.”

“Well, I didn't listen to that part!” Killua groaned. Oh, of course! While Killua had problems with answering wholly, Gon had issues with partial listening. He only heard what he wanted and Killua should have known Gon would only listen to the part that he—

Wait.

“Hold on a second,” Killua mumbled, cupping his chin as he started thinking. Gon tilted his head to the side as Killua’s eyes widened and his cheeks started warming. “You… you said you started calling me stuff you wouldn't mind calling me?”  

Gon looked at the cup in his hand before looking back at Killua. “Oh, well, yeah—”

“S-so, what you're saying is that you wouldn't mind calling me—those names like...”

“Honey, Sweetie and Babe and stuff? I’d love to call you those, Killua.” Killua felt his head swirl because  _ holy hell, Palm was right.  _ Killua opened and closed his mouth, trying to form some kind of words, cursing his brain for failing to make words, but it was hard trying to focus on a coherent sentence with Gon's confession floating around and the now apparent fact that Gon was watching said lips trying to word.

“Okay, so, the way I'm understanding this is that you—”

“Ah! Wait Killua!”

“Wait for what?”

“I have to—I want to!”

“What?”

“I had this whole thing planned! You can't just steal my thunder like that!” Killua was once again stuck looking like a gaping fish, because he couldn't  _ believe _ this.

“You—you planned this?” Killua whisper-shouted, gesturing to the empty cafe, then gesturing to himself. “You planned confusing me like this?”

“In all fairness, Killua, I didn't plan to confuse you. You kinda just suck at feelings—”

“ _ Quiet _ !” Gon tried biting his lip to keep the growing smile off his face, but Killua saw it enough to glare at him harder, not that it frighten Gon as it should. “You're unbelievable. Fine! Whatever, I don't care.” Killua leaned against the table, face in hand, looking off to the side with a small blush appearing on his cheeks.

“Killua is so cute.”

“Didn’t I tell you to be quiet?” Gon only chuckled.

“How can I be quiet when I haven't even told Killua I liked him yet?” Killua couldn't believe his ears or his eyes as he watched Gon’s eyes widen as he started blushing. “Shit! I wasn't supposed to say that—!”

“G-Gon, you—”

“No, no! Wait! I wasn't supposed to—give me a second!” Killua wasn't sure what to say when Gon buried his face in one of his arms, taking a deep breath before looking up at Killua with his usual bright smile. “Okay, I hope you're ready, Killua!”

“I—I’ve been ready for a while now, you dummy. You're the one going off your own script.” Gon didn't take it to heart, especially since Killua had such a cute expression on his face.

“You told me to start writing down what I wanted to call you, right?” Killua bit back a smart remark, choosing just to nod his head. It wasn't like he didn't know what Gon was planning to tell him—thinking about it made him blush despite himself—but since it was  _ so _ important to Gon to tell him in whatever way he was, he decided to throw him a bone. “Well…” Gon finally put the cup down.

_ Mine _ .

Killua opened his mouth, but nothing more than a squeak managed to pass his lips. He's sure Gon would have laughed if he wasn't ridiculously trying to keep himself glued to the spot, wanting to lean over the counter and kiss Killua right on the closing lips.

“M… mine.”

Gon nodded. “Mine.”

“Mine as in… yours?” Gon nodded again. “Boyfriend.” Another nod. “I see.” Despite how red Killua’s face was Gon began to worry his bottom lip. He wasn't giving him an answer, so did that mean he was rejected? He already knew Killua wouldn't give him an answer automatically—he anticipated after all—but Killua wasn't dumb or slow, so he'd already figured it out before Gon even confessed, so he should have an answer by now. 

 

Gon was beginning to slowly pull the cup away when Killua wrapped his hand around Gon's. “I… I wouldn't mind being called that.” Killua looked away as Gon smiled a million dollar smile at him. “I might be more practical to call me Killua though.”

Gon seen Killua’s challenging smirk, and raised him the same and a raised eyebrow. “I guess we'll see about that then.” 


End file.
